In 1935 Jack Dempsey opened his famous restaurant known by his name,  in New York, right in front of the third Madison Square Garden, which was located on Eighth Avenue.

With live bands and dances and no cover  cost, the restaurant quickly became an iconic place for New Yorkers and fight fans.

Boxing historian Bert Sugar recalls: “I was walking down Broadway and I saw Dempsey in the window. Dempsey himself! I could not believe it. I thought it was a poster. ”

It was regular that boxing fans were welcomed with a  “Hello, friend” from Dempsey, who was usually standing  in the corner booth, where he enthusiastically signed autographs and posed for photographs.

Of course, for any boxing fan, it must have been a dream come true to sit down and enjoy a drink while Dempsey talked anecdotes about his battles.

Being such an iconic place, Jack Dempsey served as the backdrop for a memorable scene in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece, The Godfather.

Unfortunately, just as Manhattan entered a period of sharp decline when the rising crime rate and urban decay affected the city, Jack Dempsey suffered along with it, having to close its doors in 1974.

WBC Press Release